The Binding
by beginswithb
Summary: Worlds collide when Isabella Cullen meets Edward Swan, the new kid in town, for what seems to be the first time. However, past feelings once thought to be suppressed cause her to wonder if she can truly fight the destiny that binds them.
1. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

My eyes widened as the fluorescent lights suddenly casted a red glare across the recently waxed corridor floor. I gasped in horror as I felt my legs carry me down the slick hall before I could even process what was happening. Nostrils flaring, I struggled to focus on my steps in an attempt to retain sanity. The floors were not red; my mind was. Red with pain, need, instincts that were deeply imbedded in me despite my lifestyle choices. _This is not happening,_ I screamed internally. Nonetheless, I was being led... no, drawn to the door at the end of the hall.

I came to my senses with the doorknob beneath my pale hand. I found myself pressing my face against the glass in vain, swallowing against the poison that pooled in my mouth. It was then that I remembered to stop breathing. My chest expanded and stopped, relief flooding my tortured body immediately. I blinked against the glass as my vision cleared, the red seeping from my peripheral vision like water from a draining sink. The scene in front of me spun as I realized what had called me to this point.

The fair-skinned woman's exhausted yet brilliant smile faded as her eyes met mine, chocolate meeting caramel. Confusion clouded her slight features and her arms tightened around the squirming bundle of blankets against her chest. My hands braced against the sides of the entryway, fingers gripping the brick until it threatened to give beneath the pressure. A single, loud wail wrenched me from my reverie and forced the woman to avert her eyes.

As she tended to the crying infant in her arms, I turned away and sped down the hall to the elevator. I furiously stabbed at the button as I looked back to the room. _Why is this happening,_ _why is this happening? _My mind reeled like a skipping vinyl record. It was only a matter of seconds before I abandoned the elevator and pushed myself into the stairwell but it felt like eternity. Moments later, as I slammed against the car in the lot and fought to erase the memory from my head, I knew what had to be done.

And so I ran.


	2. 1 All's Well That Ends Well

**Author's Note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction, so please be gentle! I am keeping the first chapter or two short to gauge interest. I am currently looking for a beta to help guide me through this, so please feel free to contact me!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, or anything to do with Twilight (except two copies of the movie, a set of the books, one tote bag, one movie companion book, and several boxes of Sweethearts with Eddie's angsty face on the box).  
**

**CHAPTER ONE: All's Well That Ends Well**

"Can you at least _pretend_ to be human?" a voice hissed in my ear. "Breathing and moving every so often is normal, you know."

Blinking, I looked over to meet Rosalie's glare. Her golden eyes, framed in thick lashes most girls only dream of, were hard and callous as she stared down at me. Arching an eyebrow, I lowered my gaze to the trembling lunch tray in her hands. Rose's temper has been outrageous lately and I contemplated mentioning the plastic tray's inability to withstand Rosalie's inhumane strength. While I would love to watch her clean the shattered tray from the floor, I knew it would only fuel the fire of her anger. She slammed the tray next to Emmett's and folded herself onto the bench beside him, her eyes still on me. Sighing, I crossed my legs and bounced my foot in exaggerated annoyance to appease my siblings.

Pretending to be human can be simple for a vampire. Remember to breathe, move every so often, refrain from moving with vampiric speed or lifting objects of great size with ease... simple stuff. For a great majority of the vampire population, there is no need to pretend to be human on a daily and consistent basis. My family, my "adopted" family, was an exception to that. We chose, long ago, to lead a life that was not dependent upon human blood. We considered ourselves "vegetarian" and only drank the blood of animals. This, paired with the facade of being human, allows us to live amongst other people. The aching burn that came with the thirst for human blood has practically been extinguished in all of us, with the exception of Jasper.

A quick glance around the table reminded me of my family's worry. Alice's pixie-like features, so often crinkled into a smile or laugh, were lined with vexation and sadness. I offered a slight smile in a weak attempt to lighten the mood. Alice rested her head against Jasper's shoulder, her dark and spiky hair almost blending into the fabric of his sweater, and rolled her eyes up at him for support. I braced myself for the wave of calmness that was sweeping across the table, avoiding Jasper's exasperated stare.

"Sure, ignore what is happening here," Rosalie muttered when the effect of Jasper's emotional manipulation wore off. "Just because you are miserable, Isabella, does not mean the rest of us should be as well. Can you, for once, imagine what it is like for Carlisle and Esme? Do you think they _enjoy_ walking on eggshells around you?" Rose was playing dirty, touching on a sensitive issue for me. The suffering of Carlisle and Esme was not something I took lightly. In fact, every facade of happiness and contentment was for them.

"Blocking me out will not help," Alice added. "Shielding yourself from me will only make matters worse, Isabella." I snorted softly, looking down at the lemonade bottle rolling between my slight hands. Alice's ability to foresee the future was something this family relied on more than we cared to admit. It ensured our safety and enabled us to live amongst humans, to an extent. Her visions are subjective and can change but, for the most part, are reliable and steady. Removing myself from her "radar," so to speak, has been the only way for me to feel in control lately.

My hands left the bottle, a prop in our pretense to be human, and moved to tug on my braid. "Moving back to Forks is something I only agreed to because of Carlisle and Esme," I reminded them, raising my eyes to look at each of my adopted siblings in turn. "I apologize for being such a burden on this family but please..." I tugged at the braid once more, my eyes pleading in silence. "Please know that I am trying. I truly am."

The bell rang at that moment and Rosalie pushed away from the table in disgust. Emmett touched my shoulder as he moved to follow his mate. I looked up at his hulking figure and smiled softly. He grinned and shrugged before hurrying to catch Rose. As I stood to collect my uneaten food, I felt Alice's steady gaze. Jasper moved to join the stream of teenagers moving out of the cafeteria but Alice remained in her seat. Her eyes were distant and unfocused, her dainty mouth screwed into a frown as she struggled to concentrate. When she realized the shield was still in place, she slapped the table and growled. I smiled apologetically before disappearing into the throng of students.

When the Cullen family moved to Forks two years ago, we were the talk of the town. Alice likened us to Forks High School's "shiny new toys." I must admit, it was amusing to watch the initial fascination dwindle down to a subtle avoidance. Our keen ears allowed us to hear what was really being said about the family. Carlisle's successful career as a doctor led to jealous whispers about money, cars, designer clothing, even our intelligence. Of course, four of the Cullens' adopted children being coupled together did not help. While they received the brunt of the jealousy, I was simply the detached and unattainable one. Nobody was good enough for me, it was rumored to believe, and I relished the lack of attention the rumor brought about.

As I passed through the crowd in the hallway, my ears perked briefly at the mention of my name. "Isabella Cullen? What do you need to know about her? I mean, look at her!" Surprise shot through me and I lifted my gaze to search the crowd for the source. My eyes fell on Mike Newton and he quickly turned away, leaning toward the unfamiliar body next to him. I moved past him, clenching my jaw as I attempted to ignore his crude commentary on my curves.

I was settled in my seat in Biology when I finally remembered to breathe, my temper under control. I inhaled deeply, welcoming the usual assault of bleach and chemicals that filled the science lab. Opening my book, I glanced to the front of the classroom as the students trickled in. My breath caught as I looked at the dark-haired boy standing at the teacher's desk. How did I miss the arrival of a new student? I usually heard everything that was happening around me, whether I wanted to or not.

He looked up at that moment, his brow furrowed as if something confused him. Our eyes met as the door closed behind him, ushering in an influx of stale air from the hallway. It was then that it hit me, the smell of sunshine and honey and lilac and... _insatiable thirst._ I gripped the lab table, unable to swallow the venom gathering in my mouth. Grabbing my books, I propelled myself to the back door of the classroom and through the now empty halls of the school, not stopping until I was resting my forehead against the steering wheel of my car.

Pulling out of the parking lot, I released the shield on my mind long enough to let Alice know I was leaving. I sped north through the streets of Forks, my world etched in red and hunger.

And so I ran.


End file.
